.

[skeeball]

baff

[Vannabunny]

I <3 applying to schools in place I know.

[Vannabunny]

Understandable. I wouldn't consider a LS in the town where my UG is (if there was one, which there isn't). I hate it there

[Vannabunny]

I would also make sure to visit a mall - not just to check out shopping, but also to gauge the overall style of the students/locals

[The Dread Pirate Roberts]

Also thoroughly test public transportation if you're going that route.  If you can, try to get someplace a good distance from the school at a variety of times; just because a subway runs quickly at rush hour doesn't mean it runs quickly (or at all) at midnight.  And just because a bus schedule looks good, doesn't mean the busses actually show up when they claim.

[WinnieCooper]

Also thoroughly test public transportation if you're going that route.  If you can, try to get someplace a good distance from the school at a variety of times; just because a subway runs quickly at rush hour doesn't mean it runs quickly (or at all) at midnight.  And just because a bus schedule looks good, doesn't mean the busses actually show up when they claim.

YES!  Ann Arbor is a prime example of this.  The campus busses are great, but the AATA is not at all reliable, and if you need to leave campus you would be better off hitchiking.

When I moved to DC before signing a lease I timed the walk from door to Metro.  Just because it looks close does not mean it is. 

[chonralda]

Well, My AATA experiences have usually been good, if not great. I used one just recently to get to briarwood to buy a new battery for my car...UM buses are 'better', but they also can be a bit late, if not more.

[street_ave]

Ms Bunny, what part of Indiana do you live in? I drove to a wedding in Anderson/Pendleton outside Indianapolis (drove south from western Michigan), and all I could think was how awful it all was, and how scared I am that I am only going to get into IU-Indianapolis and have to live anywhere near what I saw...

I know Bloomington is supposed to be great and I will be EXTREMELY lucky to get in THERE (156, 3.77), but Indiana in general scared me...

[Vannabunny]

I live in a Bloomington suburb, and go to school about hour South of there, in Evansville. B-ton is like a whole other world in the middle of redneck-ville

By the way, Anderson does suck. Indy itself is MUCH better.... and IU-I is right in the middle of downtown

[street_ave]

OK, I kind of figured/hoped IU-I was way different than what I saw...eew...thanks for the info